andyml

thanks leon you've given my an idea..... not exactly as described on that link but a tube of insulation material and a couple or more good elastic bands brgds <')Andy<

thanks for the suggestion Chris MC i use gardner rig bins for carp and pike traces and was looking for something much smaller for feeder fishing i prefer not to faff about making traces in the swim...much better to that in ideal conditions at home. i had a look at that korda product in my LTS but it's enormous for such relatively little hooks to nylon.. there a reasonable compromise out there somewhere...i'll find it tight lines <')Andy<

hi folks, went again last night and reckon i've sussed it..... i'm sure it is perch - i almost launched one into a lunar trjactory last night i hit it so quick....and, embarassingly, the bite offs are due to me storing my hooks to nylon on a cheap spool with sharp slots which secures 'em... at least i know now....and can move on.... looking for ways to conveniently store my hooklinks now that doesn't involve nasty cheap spools. off again tomorrow thanks again to all <')Andy<

hi marc, maye we'll bump into each other one day don't let not driving put you off...loads of folk in holland go fsihing witn trailers on their bikes.....long sessions too.. tight lines <')Andy<

Bungral there was an excellent article on fishing the tidal Thames in IYCF a little while a go by Keith Arthur...surely an expert on his home ground. IIRC he said that if fishing for silver "bits" an ebbing tide was best but if fishing for carp an incoming was better.... I often cycle along the Thames here.....and often think I ought to give it a try....i usually like to fish spontaneously...and given the vagaries of tides would need to plan in advance. carp haver been taken as far downstream as Chelsea Power Station - as seen in Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall's Cook on the Wildside. brgds <')Andy<

Thanks folks for your replies... food for thought for sure.... since this pit is very close to the thames and, at one time, was connected i think eels are definitely in the frame as are mussels.....i've seen one or two large swan mussel shells in the margins occasionally but see very many more pea mussels covering small rocks also in the margins I have upped my hooklink b/s so i'll see how i get on today. brgds <')Andy<

hi folks, i've been enjoying feeder fishing on the quiver for bream and tench at a large southeastern gravel pit but from time to time get fussy "bites" that don't fully develop and when i decide to strike them I either get nothing or a bite-off any ideas what's going on?.....there are planty of perch around ....could it be eels? i've been fishing a free running coil method feeder and a 4 or 5 inch hooklink with tanches 3000,corn and red maggots. been fishin' for years still got plenty to learn... thanks in advance <')Andy<

looking on the positive side....it should stop your swivels rusting! ;-)

Andy, i seem to recall watching an obscure american fishing programme some years ago where they trolled some lures off the back of a boat equipeed with an underwater camera... two identical lures (spoons, i think) were deployed....one sprayed with...wait for it...WD40!! The WD40 lure got the most hits!! makes you think doesn't it? <')Andy<

comus, blimey!...folkestone...how much closer to eurotunnel could you get? i like hellevoetsluis in southern holland - less than 4 hours drive from calais turn your browser to look for citta romana or cape helius for accommodation www.de-catfish.nl is the local tackle shop or www.hengelsportzuidland.nl good luck <')Andy<

thanks wiggy, that's very helpful rgds <')Andy<

hi wiggy, thanks very much for the reply....very helpful! i'm not that familiar with the area these days...what's the best way to access the car park? brgds <')Andy<

budgie, thanks for the tip about weighing at the gym...might as well get some benefit for my subscription! what i'll probably do is buy one of those soft cases to keep it in and hopefully use it to hold the removed batteries too.....what a kerfuffle! tight lines... <')Andy<

budgie, sorry to hear that the saone trips are no longer viable.... making a trip there to fish with luke was one of my few remaining fishing ambitions.... nothing good (or bad, thankfully) ever seems to last... brgds <')Andy<

hi budgie, glad u managed to arrive at the battery out option unaided.....of course it's an option much smarter though, in my opinion, to have an off switch. interestingly i notice that nowhere in fox's advertising blurb for the scales is there any reference to accuracy...reckon i'll pass my scales to my local weights and measures office and ask them to test them brgds <')Andy<

not sure if any of you guys use the new fox digital scales but i just bought a set and used them for the first time on a wet and windy carping trip to holland recently. in summary the following features disappoint me........... you can't turn it off!........ batteries are expected to last only 6 months.... it has to be sent back to fox for recalibration once a year...at what cost?..and what sort of turnroud time might i expect.?........ it doesn't like water!......after a busy day weighing 11 dutch commons in steady drizzle the display packed up...thank gawd i had my old avons. i really must make a concious effort to avoid mr fox's products in future! tight lines chaps <')Andy<

hi fishfinder i have a stalker shelter which i have mixed feelings about...it won't take up much room in your sling and is certainly light enough for the roving angler however you will need quite a bit of space to lay everything out in preparation for erection (ooer missus) my main problem with it is that it suffers badly from buffetting in the wind...with no provision (from memory) for strom rods explore every other alternative first.... good luck <')Andy<

thanks for your feed back, guys i appreciate it rgds <')Andy<

Hi folks, it's time for me to respool with fresh braided line and I wondered what your preferred brands are? I'll be fishing for bream and tench to high singles. My current line is by Drennan and it loses its green colour turning an unhelpful white.... I shall probably get spiderwire but thought I'd ask you guys first....as i'll be feeder fsihing it needs to to be a sinking line. brgds <')Andy<

On one of my many fishing trips to holland some youngsters showed me how they caught worms....they simply put a bankstick into the ground and tapped it vigourously on the side repeatedly....worms appeared as if by magic - I was suitably impressed. I haven't had the same degree of success myself in the UK but the soil in Holland is typically very soft and sandy... just thought i'd mention it.. brgds <')Andy<

kempo, check out this site too.... http://www.hsvhetvoornsekanaal.nl/ it's run by one of the local clubs...it's in dutch of course ....but you gotta start somewhere. your mates will probably have told you that this is a very deep canal running pretty much from south west to north east - almost straight as a dye but with some irregularities (ie features) prevailing southwesterlies will blow right along it.....i get the feeling that "going" swims are to be found towards the other end (NE)...away from Hellevoetsluis - but this advice may have only been current at the time i was there...i would expect the bream (brasem), karper (carp) and snoek (pike) to be highly mobile......it is a big water! Mario speaks good English and should be in a position to give good bait advice...just don't expect the Voornse Canal to be easy. good luck mate <')Andy<

just found their new page....check out www.de-catfish.nl <')Andy<

the tackle shop you want is de Catfish and it's in Industriehaven, Hellevoetsluis - ask for Mario....he's very helpful the Voornse Canal is very deep and quite hard..... when will you be going?...have you fished the area before?...I'll be fishing near by in late may..must be my 6th or 7th visit rgd <')Andy<

if you don't support your LTS to some degree or other who will be left to supply your maggots etc? it'sa question of balance......with increased competition from the 'net and more price aware customers your LTS dealers will have to be on their toes.... brgds <')Andy<

thanks for your responses folks...some very good suggestions the one that appeals most is Vagabond's loop......sounds simple and effective like all the best solutions so i'll see how i get on with it and maybe try other suggestions if necessary. i'll have established the distance with a dedicated marker rod and will have this, clipped up and retrieved, to hand if i need to relocate the sweet spot. thanks to all for your help...tight lines <')Andy<